6/27/12

A remarkable 1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage Lightweight Racing Car, used extensively in Steve McQueen’s legendary 1971 film Le Mans, has been added to the lineup at RM Auctions’ eye-popping Monterey sale on August 17-18 in California.

Widely considered one of the most heroic and legendary racing automobiles ever conceived, the GT40 succeeded the Shelby Daytona coupe as Ford’s standard-bearer during the infamous Ford-Ferrari wars of the 1960s.

Among its many achievements, the GT40 scored consecutive victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1966 through 1969.

The example on offer here in iconic Gulf livery raced extensively throughout 1968 from Daytona to Le Mans, as well as the Le Mans trials at the hands of Jacky Ickx, before being sold to the King of Cool’s Solar Productions in 1970 for use in the filming of Le Mans.

The coolest example of one of the coolest cars ever built—this is a tough one to beat, all right…